Spacing device for frictionally opposed bodies



Feb. 23, 1954 F. R fSMH-H ETAL 2,670,199

SPACING DEVICE FOR FRICTIONALLY OPPOSED BODIES Filed Dec, l5, 1950 Patented Feb. 23, 1954 SPACIN G1. DEVICE FOR: FRIGTIDNAIJJYT OPBOSED BODIES.

Mich.; assignoisatuiNeveruil; Brodxctsidbmpmny, Hamburg;.lvlich.,.a corporation of Michigan Applicatoncemer 13, IQSUQSerJaTNo'. 200;'678

( Ch. 2ML-49):

170' Claims;

Tliisinventionl relates toa spacing"device for fiictionally'opposedbodies;

Itis` an` object of* the invention to provide a relatively at insert' to" be interposed` between relatively movable. bodies such as the' leaves of a leaf spring* assembly: Lubricant impregnated fabric* inserts have been` used' a considerable degree ofJ success. However, underl extremely heavy; loadsA they are subject to. crushing and" loss of, resiliency;

An object of the invention is; therefore, to utilize the resiliencyv and the lubricating qualities of thef'abrioinsert and to' combinewith theA fabric insert. a bearingmaterial ofL hard plastic called "ny1'on'; Commercial' nylon has beenfound to possess. unusual' resistance to` compression and abrasion It cannot' successfully be substituted for the fabric because itp develops noise in fric*- tional movementv after a certain length* of. time in operation.

The present invention contemplates. a combination of a fabricframe andnylon'center, with or without a center' reservoir' for lubricant;l the fabricbeing. impregnated with a lubricant; The fabric provides a sealing surface around". the nylon insert: Extensive tests" have shown that the fabric insert life is. greatly prolonged, and there is'no. friction noise developedin' the nylon bearingsurface.

Other objects andfeatures of the inventionrelate to details of" the construction" of,` the com'- bined4v insert and the zo-operation with the spring assembly.

Drawings accompany the' specification', an'dlthe variousviews thereof-may bebriefiy describedJ as:

Figure 1, a cut-away section ofl a-perspective view of a spring assembly showing thev manner in which the spring insert maybe located".

Figure2,l a sectional viewv of" the insert.

Figure 3, a modiiieds embodiment" of' the in vention` usedt inI a grooVed spring section commonly in use today.

Figure 4; a view showing the manner of assembly of this'modication of: Figure 3;

` Figure 5'; a section'af view OnlineA 5---5'I of'Fi'gure 3.

Figure 6, a modified disclosure showingfa: nylon insert with1 a; center recess ada-ptedf'or use'i in. a gro'ove'd spring section.

Figure 7, a sectional viewv on li`ne'l-1foff Figure 6'.

Figure 8; amodified construction snowing a circular nylon insert with center recess;

Figure 9,- a" sectional*j ViewA on line 9-9 of? Else ure 8;

ver

' reciproca-1t action of Referring toFigure 1, the fabric spring insert is' shownt atl 20 between leaf' springsf 2 and 241. The leaf"u springs are" provided withy pockets 2-6 andi 2B" formed int'o theleaf springs to receive-a boss portioxr SUiex'tending upwardlyfrom the surfacevi" the fabric 2 Ilt centrally= thereof. This* boss portion`A isy form-edl bypressing' lubricant-impregnated fabricover a; nyloninsert 32, the insert having-a slightly-*greater*thickness than the final compressed thickness or' the fabric and` thusv extending up` into thex boss portion 30E The fabric is preferably cotton duck' or especially WovenY cotton'- fabricl and' is' impregnated withl a suitable lubricant) having properties to hold" thepad2 to'A its pressed shape; One example ofsuch a* lubricant is composedY of Eitearic` acidi Calcium; oxidev taifniaaibaV Wax Stanoil. No. 25

The4 StanoilnNo. 25, is amineraloilproduced by the. Standard; Qil` Company.. Otherv compositions may be used, but this. one is foundV to have a fairly hard consistency at normal temperatures andi yet" has suilici'ent lubricating effect to accomplish the purposes desired. The cotton duck is impregnatedL with a hotY mixture ofthe above ingredients` and`v preferably pressed around the nylon insert whileV warm; Upon solidication, the parts will remain together and inthe shape shown:

'Ihef nylon usedis' commonlyy referred to as "commercial' nylon andi' is' provided inP thev form of a flatldiskfor rectangle. It'is'- referred to by the manufacturing company; Duf Pont, asnylon No; FM 100U1`. This# nylon hasrv a resistance to compression` whichA is comparable to` thatv of steel and1 a remarl'fablev resistance to= bearing wear.

In* opera-tion itvl willbe seen thatA the surface of the' nylon exposed* is usli' with` the surface of the fabric 2'0, andz pressure` between the spring leaves will' be applied evenly aroundl the fabric insert' and' on'. thefrurlonv insert; In addition, the embossed? portiongwiil'proyide a positioning device irrco-operation with tiie pockets of" the. spring since the" fabric. is cnnipletel'yy impregnated and wi1l'.be. a sealing surface aroundI` the nylon which keeps out dust andl dirt and which; due to the the members, will feed a certain amount caf-"lubricating material to the nylon s-urfxstcev as: trie parts operate*l in the spring. Thesetwo'functibnaofthelbbricantelinpregnated fabriblf serveV to insure quiet:v action throughout tris lireA o!" tite unit.

In Figures 3 to 5 a modified device has been disclosed for use particularly in the so-called grooved spring section." Here, each spring section 40 is provided with a groove 42. The fabric insert 44 is slightly elongated as compared with the disclosure of Figure l; and at one end an embossed portion 46 having a transverse section to be received by the grooves 42 is provided by pressing a nylon insert 48 into place, the insert being elongated and of similar dimensions to establish the proper relation with the groove 42. Aligned with, but spaced from, the embossed portion 46, a rivet or other similar type of locator 50 cooperates with a hole 52 in the spring section to secure the insert against longitudinal displacement.

'Ihe fabric of Figures 3 to 5 is also impregnated as above described; and the nylon is of the same material, the operation being substantially the same as described with respect to Figure 1.

. In Figure 6 an insert 54 is shown somewhat similar to that shown in Figures 3 to 5 except that the nylon insert is composed of a rectangular frame-like member 58, having formed centrally thereof an aperture which proves to be a reservoir 6B for the same type of lubricant as is used to impregnate the fabric. This lubricant is formretaining at room temperatureand will fill the pocket 60, thus providing an additional source 62 of lubrication for the nylon surfaces of ,the insert.

In Figure 8 a square insert 64 has been shown with a ring-like insert 68 which also has a central pocket 10 to receive lubricant i2. The unit of Figures 8 and 9 also has an embossed portion 'I4 created by pressing the ring-like nylon insert into the fabric which serves as a locating projection for the assembly.

In each case where the relatively hard nylon insert is pressed into the impregnated fabric there is a drawing action and the fabric will not always fit snugly at the outside surface edges of the insert. In the pressing acion, however, there is considerable compression o f the fabric and the lubricant will tend to fiow into all crevices available. Thus, as shown in Figure 2 at 33, there will be a pocket of lubricant around Athe edge of the nylon insert. Since this lubricant is quite hard at room temperatures, it will be firmly in position and will furnish a source of lubricant for the insert in addition to that in the fabric itself.

We claim: l l i v 1. In combination, two relatively movable, frictionally opposed members, onefof which has a depression therein facing the other, a p,adlik-e, im pregnated textile fabric spacing device between said members provided with a fiat body portion with opposed, flat operating sides and an integral, preformed boss portion on one of said sides bottomed in said depression for anchoring. said device with relation to one of said members, and means to reinforce said boss portion and to serve as a load-sharing and wear member within the confines of said device comprising a fiat solid insert of nylon plastic extending into said boss portion having'only one fiat surface exposed, said surface being substantially fiush withlthe surface of the body portion lying on the plane of said ex.- posed surface, the other fiat surface of the insert being bottomed in said boss portion, said body portion being impregnated with a relatively hard lubricating substance adapted to be worked to the exposed surface of the load-bearing member by relative mation. between-the Opposedimembers y -A friction control unit vdefined clair-n.1

fri-which the insert is pressed into said ibodyfcomjpletcly within the borders thereof and the margins of the body on each side of the insert are impregnated with a lubricant which can work by motion of the opposed members to the exposed surface of the insert.

3. A friction control unit as defined in claim 1 in which the insert is provided with an opening on its exposed surface to serve as a reservoir, and a body of substantially solid lubricant in said 'opening adapted to work by friction to the surfaces of the insert.

4. A friction control unit as defined in claim 1 in which edges of the nylon insert are spaced adjacent the outer surface from the fabric body, these spaces being filled with solid lubricant.

5. In combination, two frictionally opposed, relatively movable members, and means for controlling the friction therebetween comprising a fabric body as a load-bearing member, an opening in at least one surface of said body, and a load-sharing and wear member comprising an insert in said opening having an exposed outer surface fiush with the surface of the body to contact one of said opposed members, said insert being backed on a side opposed to said exposed surface respectively by an offset portion of the load-bearing member and by the other of said opposed members, said insert being composed of a plastic such as nylon, and a lubricating substance impregnating said fabric and adapted to be worked to the surface of said insert by relative motion of the opposed members.

6. A friction control member as defined in claim 5 in which the wear insert also has a surface opening, lubricating means having substantially solid characteristics at room temperature impregnating the fabric body and filling the opening in the wear insert, which fabric and insert opening serve as a reservoir for lubricant which can work to the surface of the insert to iubricate the said surface.

'7. A friction control member as defined in claim 5 in which the wear insert is perforated to provide an inner reservoir, and a relatively solid lubricant filling said chamber and which can work to the surface of said wear insert to lubricate the same.

A 8. For positionment between two frictionally opposed members for controlling the friction therebetween, a load-bearing member comprising a fabric body impregnated with a lubricant, an opening in at least one surface of said body, and a load-sharing and wear member in said opening having an exposed surface iiush with one surface of the body, the side of said insert opposite said exposed surface being backed by said load-bearing member in a manner to transmit load from said load-bearing member to said insert, said wear member being composed of a plastic such as nylon having a thickness greater than the thickness of the fabric to facilitate the location of said body.

9. A control pad for positionment between two frictionally lopposed members such as spring leaves for controlling the friction therebetween comprising a woven fabric bearing piece shaped to position between-said members and having opposed operating surfaces, an opening formed in at least one o said surfaces, and a load-sharing and wear member in said opening projecting into said bearing piece having one operating surface substantially fiushwith an operating surface of .said bearing piece, said wear, member being -ritiriiposed ,offa plastic such as nylon and being positioned to receive compressive force from the opposed members on both sides of said fabric bearing piece, said fabric bearing piece being impregnated with a lubricant.

10. A' device as dened in claim 9 in which the wear member has e. thickness greater than the fabric bearing piece and projects into an offset protruding portion of the bearing piece.

FRE) R. SMITH. JOHN E. CQNNOLLY.

. 6 References Cited in the 111e of this patent UNITED STATES PA'IENTS N umber 5 2,221,483 2,24s,oas 2,319,172

Name

Paton Austin Watson et al 

